At Yuan's casual wave, Uchiha Dōko and the others vanished in flickers of movement.
Yuan swept his gaze lazily across the surroundings, then walked toward the village gates.
As he approached, the shinobi under Shimura Kichizō instinctively stiffened. Several even showed visible unease before hurriedly stepping aside to clear a path.
"Yuan-kun, that was beautifully done."
Inuzuka Hikaru greeted him with an unrestrained grin when Yuan reached the assembly point.
Chiba Sōichi, however, looked concerned.
"Yuan-kun, why were you late?"
Yuan lifted the skewers in his hand.
"I realized it'll be years before I can taste the village's food again. So before leaving, I stopped by Ichiraku Ramen and the Akimichi clan's barbecue restaurant for a proper feast."
Sōichi frowned.
"Yuan-kun, what you did just now was reckless. You may provoke the village into imposing harsher punishment."
Yuan laughed arrogantly.
"Relax. I only disciplined a few fools who didn't know their place. Could that possibly be more serious than cutting off Danzō's arm?"
He then turned his gaze toward Kobayashi Shiratani and the others. Shimura Kichizō had already been escorted away by two shinobi toward Konoha Hospital.
"They keep calling us criminals. It's irritating."
His voice carried a cold edge.
Sōichi sighed softly.
"I understand your anger. But in the village's eyes… we are criminals."
"No."
Yuan's eyes sharpened instantly, like drawn blades, locking onto Sōichi before sweeping across the gathered jōnin.
"I have never considered us criminals."
"Do any of you truly believe you are criminals of this village?"
"If so—tell me. What crime have you committed?"
A murmur rippled through the group.
Someone spoke up.
"Orochimaru-sama defected. We were his subordinates."
Several nodded in agreement.
Yuan let out a disdainful snort.
"What foolish reasoning."
"If that logic holds, then the Third Hokage and the other two of the Legendary Sannin would also be criminals. Their ties to Orochimaru-senpai were far closer than ours."
The crowd stirred more noticeably now.
Some thought he had a point.
Others hesitated, sensing something dangerous in his words.
Yuan continued calmly.
"Yes, our reassignment to the Southern Border is indeed related to Orochimaru-senpai's defection. I do not deny that."
"But it is merely to avoid suspicion."
"I will not allow the label of 'criminal' to be placed upon us."
Silence followed.
Then Inuzuka Hikaru spoke firmly.
"Yuan-kun is right. We are not criminals."
Because of him, the Inuzuka clan had suffered damaged reputation and repeated pressure from the village's higher-ups. Their clan income had even been reduced.
Yuan's words struck deeply.
Hikaru did not want to carry the stigma of betrayal.
And if Yuan's argument spread—
Others in the village would no longer be able to casually brand them as sinners.
The mood within the group subtly shifted.
Spines straightened.
Eyes regained clarity.
They were not criminals.
They were shinobi reassigned under political caution.
Yuan observed the change and gave a faint, satisfied smile.
But just as the escort squad prepared to depart—
His gaze flickered briefly toward the treeline beyond the gates.
A glint.
A subtle chakra fluctuation.
Hidden observers.
Yuan's expression did not change.
"Looks like…"
He murmured softly, only loud enough for Sōichi and Hikaru to hear.
"We're not the only ones leaving the village today."
Far beyond the gates, concealed within dense foliage—
Several masked figures lay in wait.
The Southern Border mission—
Might not begin so peacefully.
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